Emergency opening protective gate



Dec. 24, 1968 s. KAUFMAN ETAL 3,417,805

EMERGENCY OPENING PROTECTIVE GATE Filed July 19 1967 v TNVENTORS'STANLEY KAUFMAN JDAVID KAUFMAN ATTORNEY.

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FFG. 3

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United States Patent 3,417,805 EMERGENCY OPENING PROTECTIVE GATE StanleyKaufman, 20 Cairngorm Road, New City, N.Y. 10956, and David Kaufman, 35Country Ridge Drive, N Portchester, N.Y. 10573 Filed July 19, 1967, Ser.No. 654,497 Claims. (Cl. 160-152) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Aprotective gate subject to being opened in emergencies, the gate havinga latch bar pivotally mounted on a closure plate positioned to engagethe free end of the gate when the gate is oriented in an operativeprotecting position. The latch bar is formed with detents extendingthrough openings in the closure plate to retain the gate in operativeprotecting position when the latch bar overlies the closure plate, andmanually operable locking means accessible only from the protected area,are extended between the latch bar and closure plate to retain same in ajuxtaposed relationship, so that opening of the gate may be readilyaccomplished only from the protected area in a rapid fashion duringemergencies, but may not be accomplished from the outside.

Background of the invention This invention relates to the art ofprotective gates, and more particularly to an improved protective gateconstruction in which though the gate lends itself to being locked in anoperative protecting position with respect to any given openings such asa window or the like, in the event of an emergency requiring quickopening of the gate to permit egress through the protected opening, thisis readily possible.

A variety of different types of protective gate structures have beenevolved, such for example, as shown by applicants prior patent3,314,469, These gate structures are particularly adapted for use inpreventing unauthorized entry through an opening such as a window or thelike, while at the same time admitting light and air through theopening. Such gates are generally constructed of an open grill, such asa lazy tong lattice provided with suflicient apertures so as not tointerfere with light and air, and at the same time prevent undesiredentry. Protective gates of this type find relatively widespread use intenement apartments, serving the twofold purpose of preventingunauthorized access to the protected premises through windows leading tolow level windows, fire escapes, or the like, and additionally, servethe purpose of preventing children from falling out of the window. Inuse, the protective gate should desirably be securely locked in positionin a fashion preventing one on the outside from forcing the gate toobtain access.

Where conventional locking arrangements are employed, problems arise inthat during emergency situations, the gate must be subject to readyremoval to permit the occupants of the protected area to leave via firstescapes or the like. Where conventional locks are employed, the keys areunfortunately not kept readily available for use during emergencysituations. Even where the key has been stored in a position near thegate, such as by hanging on a wall beyond the reach of an outsider, withtime the keys have been lost.

Summary of the invention It is with the above problems andconsiderations in mind that the present improved protective gateconstruction has been evolved, providing a gate which may be securelymaintained in operative protecting position with 3,417,805 Patented Dec.24, 1968 respect to a window, or the like opening, and which may belocked in this protecting position in a fashion precluding opening ofthe gate from the outside of the protected area, and at the same timepermitting rapid opening by anyone within the protected area in anemergency situation requiring removal of the gate.

It is accordingly among the primary objects of this invention to providean improved protective gate subject to being locked in protectingposition, with unlocking taking place only from within the protectedarea at the discretion of an occupant of the protected area.

Another object of the invention is to provide a protective gate withmanually manipulable locking means not requiring the use of a key.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pro tective gate withkeyholes locking means requiring manipulation which cair only beperformed from within the protected area.

These and other objects of the invention, which will become hereafterapparent, are achieved by providing a collapsible lattice type gate,preferably of the lazy tong type, with one end adapted for fixedsecurement with respect to the side of a window or door which is to beprotected, and the other end of the gate subject to being moved toextend the gate over the protected openings, such as a window or thelike, with the free end seating beneath a closure plate. The closureplate is preferably formed as one leg of a U-shaped channel, and thechannel is rigidly secured to the side of the window or door openingopposite to the one to which the fixed end of the gate has been secured.A latch bar is detachably pivoted to the closure plate by means of apivot hook extending between the latch bar and the closure plate.Detents on the closure latch bar extend through openings in the closureplate, with the detents extending a distance suflicient to engage thefree end of the gate and lock same beneath the closure plate in theclosure plate channel. A thumb plate lock is secured to the latch bar ata point remote from the pivot hook to lock the latch bar with respect tothe closure plate to maintain the detents in gate engaging position.This thumb plate lock is preferably enclosed in a spring hinged coverbox which is mounted so that opening of the box to provide access to thethumb plate requires that the hand of the user approach the thumb platefrom the inner side of the gate.

A feature of the invention resides in the dimensioning of the detents onthe latch bar of a length such that the necessary pivotingof the latchbar to release the gate requires movement of the latch bar a distancegreater than the length of the average arm, thus minimizing thepossibility of the latch bar being displaced to open the gate from theoutside of the protected area.

Another feature of the invention resides in the preferred formation ofthe collapsible gate of a lazy tong lattice in which the openings of thelattice are so spaced from the end of the gate as to preclude insertionof an arm through the gate to actuate the lock to release the latch bar.

Brie) description of the drawing The specific details of a preferredembodiment of the invention, and their mode of functioning will beparticularly pointed out in clear, concise and exact terms inconjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded elevational view showing the free endof a lazy tong lattice gate with the closure plate channel and latch barshown in exploded position with respect to this free end indicating therelationship between the components;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of a gate made in accordance with theteachings of this invention as viewed in closed position from theinterior of the protected area;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view looking along the surface of the gate,indicating the movement of the latch bar necessary to effect release ofthe gate;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view through the closure plate channel,with parts broken away to reveal the interlock between the latch bar andclosure plate; and

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view on line 55 of FIG. 4 showing the thumbplate lock employed for securing the latch bar with respect to theclosure plate.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now more particularlyto the drawings, like numerals in the various figures will be employedto designate like parts.

The protective gate 10, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, embodyingapplicants invention preferably comprises a lazy tong lattice 11 formedby a plurality of angularly disposed criss-crossing truss bars 15 and16. The truss bars designated 15 are inclined downwardly from left toright as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2, while those truss bars designated 16are inclined upwardly from left to right as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2.Truss bars 15 are pivotally interconnected to the truss bars 16 at pivotpoints 17 preferably formed by rivets or the like. In the illustratedpreferred embodiment, the truss bars 15 and 16 are formed of U-shapedchannels but obviously may be made of simple strips. As is known tothose skilled in the art, and is more fully set forth in applicantsprior Patent 3,314,469, lazy tong lattices of this type have long beenused for protective gates.

The positioning of the pivot points between the truss bars 15 and 16 ofa preferred embodiment of the lattice 11 is such that the labeled pivotpoints 17 in the drawing (those one row away from the free end of thelattice 11) are less than two inches from the end of the lattice, withthe spacing between the next adjacent row of pivot points labeled inFIG. 2 as 17 and the free end of the lattice will be less than 4 inches.By virtue of this dimensioning as will become hereinafter more apparent,it will be substantially impossible for the average human hand to beextended to a position effecting opening of the gate from. the outsideof the protected area.

A guide post member 20, as seen to the right in FIGS. 1 and 2 isemployed at the free end of the grill work 11 forming the gate 10. Guidepost member 20, as best seen in FIG. 1 is formed by two opposed U-shapedchannel members 21 conjoined by means of fastening members 22 in theform of rivets or the like, in a fashion much as described in connectionwith guide post 60 of applicants aforementioned patent.

Closure plate 25 is provided to overlie the guide post 20. Thedimensioning of closure plate 25 is such that it will have a widthpreferably at least a half inch greater than the width of guide post fora purpose to become hereinafter more apparent. Closure plate ispreferably formed as a leg of a U-shaped channel 26 dimensioned toaccommodate guide post 20 within the channel. The closure plate isformed with one or more detent receiving openings 28, and a pivot hook30. The closure plate channel 26 is pivoted with one or more aligningtongues 32 positioned to extend between the channel members 21 formingthe guide post 20 when the guide post 20 is properly seated within theclosure plate channel.

Dctachably pivoted on pivot plate hook is latch bar 35. Latch bar 35 isformed with a pivot hook engaging opening 37 spaced slightly from thetop of the latch bar 35, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3 such that thematerial of the latch bar above opening 37 will be freely accommodatedby the hook 30 without interfering with pivoting action of the latch bar35 with respect to the closure plate 25. Extending from the latch bar 35are one or more detents 38 positioned on the latch bar at a point suchthat the detents 38 will enter detent receiving apertures 28 of theclosure plate 25 when the latch bar 35 is hooked on pivot hook 30.Detents 38 are selected of a length such that the latch bar, at a pointadjacent a hereinafter described lock 45, will have to be moved adistance away from the closure plate greater than the length of theaverage human arm in order to free the detent from the closure plate, asillustrated in FIG. 3. By way of example, it is noted that from a simpletrigonometric analysis of the triangle formed when the latch bar 35 ismoved to the dotted line position illustrated in FIG. 3, that where thedistance between the pivot hook 30 and the locking mechanism is fourfeet, and the distance between the pivot hook and detent four inches,where it is desired to require swinging of the latch bar 35 a distanceat least equal to three feet, such as would be the limit of the lengthof the human arm, the detent 38 should be three inches long.

A manually operable lock 45, as best seen in FIG. 5, is provided forsecuring the latch bar 35 in a locked posi tion overlying the closureplate 25, as seen in FIG. 3. This lock comprises plate 46 through whichlock pin 47 extends. A thu-mb handle 48 is secured to pin 47 to rotatesame. Lock pin housing 50 is secured to plate 46, and is provided with acompression spring 51 bearing against the end of pin 47. A slot 52 inthe housing permits the passage therethrough of detent 53 extendinglaterally from pin 47. Latch plate 55 is secured by welding or the liketo closure plate 25 and is formed with an apertured cam surface 57, asbest seen in FIG. 4. The apertured cam surface is fonmed with a keyholeopening through which the pin 47 and detent 53 may be passed when thedetent 53 is aligned with the slot of the keyhole opening. Thereafter,by turning the thumb handle 48, the pin 47 will be rotated to move thedetent 43 out of alignment with the keyhole slot, causing it to ride onthe cam surface 57 which is preferably contoured to form a valley remotefrom the keyhole slot so that the natural tendency of the detent will beto move away from the keyhole slot.

A lock covering box 60 is secured by means of spring hinge 63 to thelatch bar 35. The spring hinge 63 is of a conventional type tending tobias the box cover 60 to the closed position illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4,and 5. It will be noted from FIGS. 2 and 4 that the position of hinge 63is such that the box cover 60 will have to swing towards the openingcovered by the gate. The hinge is preferably such that when the box isswung to the open position, the hinge limits the movement of the box toextend perpendicular to the plane of the latch bar, and is selected of adimension such as to exceed the dimension of the average human handreaching from the outside of the protected area so as to prevent accessto the thumb handle 48.

In the event that it is desired to provide permanent locking of thegate, as for example, during periods when the protected premises areunoccupied, an auxiliary key lock 65 may be provided which asillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 is formed with a tumbler barrel 66 mountedon latch bar 35 and rotating stop plate 67 in slot 68 formed in closureplate 25 to engage the latch bar with respect to the closure plate, asillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

Operation In use, the aforedescribed protective gate 10 is positionedwith respect to an opening such as a window or door by affixing the endof the gate remote from the free end illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, inconventional fashion, such for example, as illustrated in applicantsprior patent 3,314,469. With the lazy tong grill gate here illustrated,and generally found preferable in practicing the invention, the gate isgenerally positioned to extend over the opening from left to right, sothat the grill work will be affixed with respect to the opening at theleft hand side of the opening.

The closure plate channel 26 is affixed with respect to the right handside of the window or door to b P Q- tected. Latch bar 35 is hooked onpivot hook 30, and the gate is thereafter ready for use.

To effect protective closure of the opening over which the gate ispositioned, the lattice 11 is extended over the opening from left toright with the guide post 20 moved into the closure plate channel 26,with the channels 21 forming the guide post 20 straddling the aligningtongue 32. It is preferred that the aligning tongue 32 be oriented withrespect to the lattice 11, so that the aligning tongue 32 is positionedto have one of the rivets 22 connecting the channels 21 seated on thetongue 32, thus providing support for the gate and minimizing possiblesagging.

In order to move the guidepost 20 into the closure plate channel 26, itwill be necessary to make certain that the detents 38 on the latch bar35 are not in the way of movement of the guidepost 20. This requirespivoting of the latch bar 35 with respect to the closure plate 25 to theposition illustrated in dot-dash line in FIG. 3. Once the guidepost 20is seated in the channel straddling aligning tongue 32, the latch bar 35is returned to the solid line position illustrated in FIG. 3 with thedetents 38 locking the guidepost in position in the channel. When thelatch bar 35 is moved to the solid line position illustrated in FIG. 3,lock pin housing 50 extends through the opening in cam surface 57 oflatch plate 55 secured to the closure plate 25. Lock covering box 60 isopened to provide access to thumb handle 48, and the thumb handle isrotated moving detent 53 into a position out of alignment with thekeyhole slot through which it passed, and causing it to ride over thecam surface 57 thus efiecting secure engagement of the latch bar withrespect to the closure plate. Upon release of the thumb plate 48, thelock covering box 60 springs back to the position illustrated in thedrawings under the action of spring hinge 63.

It will be observed that the dimensioning of the lattice grill work 11,and the dimensioning of the lock covering box 60 is selected to be suchas to substantially preclude the possibiltiy of releasing the latch barfrom the outside of the protected area, even by those who may be awareof the mechanism employed. This flows from the fact that the four inchhorizontal spacing between pivot points of the lattice, though possiblypermitting the insertion of an arm of the average person, preventsinsertion of the arm through the lattice openings adjacent theguidepost, which openings are approximately two inches across, and inthe event that the arm is extended through the next adjacent row oflattice openings, the distance between the wrist of the person insertinghis arm and the thumb plate will be greater than six inches, which ismore than the distance between the wrist and thumb of the averageperson. Additionally difliculty in manipulating thumb plate 48 risesfrom the fact that it becomes necessary to reach over the free edge ofbox 60.

A further deterrent to the possible unauthorized opening of the gate isprovided by dimensioning the detents 38, and positioning them withrespect to the pivot hook 30 so that the latch bar in the vicinity ofthe lock, which is the place, where it would most likely be gripped byan intruder, must be moved a distance preferably greater than threefeet, which far exceeds the possible reach of the average person.

Notwithstanding the difiiculty of displacing latch bar 35 from outsidethe protected area, should an emergency situation, such as a fire or thelike, develop in the protected area, requiring removal of the protectivegate, the occupant of the area need merely swing open box 60, turn thethumb plate 48 to release the detent 53, and move the latch bar 35 tothe dot-dash position illustrated in FIG. 3 at which time opening of thegate is readily possible.

It is of course recommended that the occupants of any protected area beeducated in the steps required to eifect release, and in the event ofuse in public areas requiring protection, such as school buildings orthe like, instructions may readily be provided.

It is thus seen that a simple, relatively inexpensive protective gatehas been provided which though not subject to unauthorized opening fromoutside of the protected area, is readily openable from the protectedarea in situations where such opening is desired.

The above disclosure has been given by way of illustration andelucidation, and not by way of limitation, and it is desired to protectall embodiments of the herein disclosed inventive concept within thescope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A protective gate subject to being opened in emergencies, said gatecomprising: a gate member extensible over an opening to be protected; aclosure plate beneath which the free end of the gate is moved whenextended; a latch bar pivoted to said closure plate; and a detent onsaid latch bar passing through an opening in said closure plate toengage the free end of said gate member.

2. A protective gate, as in claim 1, in which a manually operablelocking member is positioned between said latch bar and said closureplate to detachably engage same.

3. A protective gate, as in claim 2, in which said locking member isactuatable by rotation of a thumb plate.

4. A protective gate, as in claim 2, in which said locking member iscovered by a spring hinged box biased to overlie said locking member.

5. A protective gate, as in claim 1, in which said closure plate isformed with a pivot hook engaging in an opening adjacent the top of saidlatch bar to form a pivot connection between the upper end of said latchbar and said closure plate.

6. A protective gate, as in claim 1, in which said closure plate isformed by one leg of a U-shaped channel dimensioned to enclose the freeend of said gate member.

7. A protective gate, as in claim 2, in which said detent is of a lengthsuch as to require displacement of said latch bar at the point ofpositioning of said locking member a distance of at least two feet toeffect release of said gate.

8. A protective gate, as in claim 1, in which a key lock is provided forengaging said latch bar with said closure plate.

9. A protective gate, as in claim 1, in which said gate member comprisesa lazy tong lattice having a maximum horizontal spacing between latticepivot points of five inches.

10. A protective gate, as in claim 6, in which said channel is formedwith aligning tongues engaging in openings in the free end of said gatemember.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,290,176 1/1919 Griffith -l62 X1,502,833 7/1924 Kitzelman 160-160 1,677,278 7/ 1928 Fochrenbach 2921,774,330 8/1930 Kaser 292-189 X 3,285,323 11/1966 Catalano 160159 XPETER M. CAUN, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R.

